Music-leaf turner.



No. 716,638. PatentedDec. 23, I902.

' G. JOHNSON.

MUSIC LEAF TURNER.

(Application filed Feb. 21, 1992.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GUSTAF JOHNSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MUSIC-LEAF TURNER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 716,638, dated December 23, 1902.

Application filed February 2'7, 1902. Serial No. 95,943. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GUSTAF JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Music-Leaf Turners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in a device to be used on musical instruments, such as pianos and organs, and on musicstands for turning the leaves of sheet-music and music-books and it consists in certain peculiarities of the construction, novel arrangement, and operation of the various parts thereof, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth and specifically claimed.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a music-leaf turner which shall be simple and inexpensive in construction, strong, durable, and effective in operation, and which can be operated either by the hand or foot, so that any number of leaves may be quickly turned without causing the performer to lose any material amount of time in so doing.

Another object of the invention is to so con.- struct the device that the pin or projection for operating the arms for turning the leaves will be caused to automatically return and engage one of said arms after a leaf has been turned.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be disclosed in the subjoined description and explanation.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which myinvention pertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe it, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a face view of a music leaf turner embodying my invention, showing a portion of some of theleaf-turning arms. Fig. 2 is an end view showing the parts of the device in position for operation. Fig. 3 is a face view of the turner with the front plate thereof removed and showing the pin or projection engaging one of the leaf-turning arms. Fig. 4: is a plan view thereof. Fig. 5 is a detached face view of one of the leaf-turning arms and its spring; and Fig. 6 is a view in elevation of a music-stand with my leaf-turner attached thereto, illustrating the means of operating the same by the foot.

Similar letters refer to like parts throughout the different views of' the drawings.

A represents the main frame of the turner, which is composed of a rear plate a and a front plate a, secured together by means of bolts a or otherwise. The upper portion of the rear plate a is provided with openings (1 through which may be passed screws to secure the turner to the musical instrument or stand, or it may be otherwise attached thereto. Extending forwardly from the upper portion of the rear plate are two brackets I) and 1), between which is rotatably secured, by means of a rod 0, a rack which comprises two disks 0 and 0 the former of which rests against the lower surface of the bracket 1) and the latter against the upper surface of the bracket b, as is clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings. These disks are united by means of a series of pins 0 rotatably secured therein near their peripheries.

Pivotally secured at one of their ends to the pins 0 are a number of leaf-turning arms D, which are preferably flat, as shown in the different views of the drawings, and each has on its front surface when in position to turn the leaves of music a spring 61 to clamp the music-leaf thereto. Each of the arms D is provided in its lower edge near its pivot-pin with a lip 61, free at one of its ends and extending outwardly. As is clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the bracket b is provided with an inclined or beveled portion 17 against which the pin E Will impinge in its backward movement, and which beveled portion will cause the pointed upper end of said pin to engage the lips d on the arms D, and thus be in readiness for turning the same. The lower end of the pin" or projectionE is pivotally secured to a rock-shaft e, journaled in the front and rear plates of the main frame. This shaft is provided with an arm 6, to the outer end of which is connected a corde the upper end of which is secured to the inner end of the operating-lever F, which is fulcrumed in the upper portion of the front plate of the main frame and has on its outer end a key or button f to be pressed when it is desired to turn the leaf or music-sheet. Extending outwardly from the rear plate a on each side of the rockshaft e and above the same is a rod h, which will act as stops for the movement of the pin or projection E, which pin is held on an inclination toward the rear plate by means of a spring h, secured to the rock-shaft e near its front end. Secured at one of its ends to the rock-shaft e and at its other end to an arm g on one of the bolts a is a spring 9, which actuates the rock-shaft, so as to return the pin E, which it carries, to its normal position.

Instead of operating the device by striking the button or knobf on the lever F it may be done by means of a cord g attached at one of its ends to the outer portion of said lever and at its lower end to a pedal 9 which is shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings as being connected to a sleeve 9 slidably located on one of the legs 9 of the tripod of a music-stand G which is equipped with one of my turners.

The operation of the apparatus is simple and as follows: A leaf of music is placed between the spring 61 and each of the arms D, when it will be firmly held. By applying pressure to the lever F it is evident that the rock-shaft will be turned and that the pin E, engaging one of the arms D, will turn the same on its pivot, in which operation the leaf of music will be carried therewith or turned so that its opposite side will be exposed to view. iVhen this operation has been performed, the spring g will retract the pin E to its normal position, when it will again engage one of the leaf-turning arms, as is evident.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a music-leaf turner, the combination with the main frame, of one or more leaf-turning arms each having an outwardly-turned lip at its lower edge and said arms being piv otally secured to the main frame, a lever ful- 4o crumed on the main frame, a rock-shaft journaled in said frame and having an arm con nected to one end of the lever, a pin pivotally secured at one of its ends to the rock-shaft and adapted to engage the lips on the leafturning arms at its other end, substantially as described.

2. In a music-leaf turner, the combination with the main frame, of one or more leafturning arms pivotally secured thereon and each having a spring to hold the leaf thereto and each of said arms having an outwardly-turned lip at its lower edge, a lever fulcrumed on the main frame, a rock-shaft journaled on said frame and having an arm connected to one end of said lever, a pin pivotally secured at one of its ends to the rock-shaft and adapted to engage the lips on the leaf-turning arms at its other end, substantially as described.

3. In a music-leaf turner, the combination with the main frame, of a rack carrying one or more pivot-pins and rotatably mounted thereon, one or more leaf-turning arms secured on said pivot-pins and each having an outwardly-turned lip at its lower edge, a spring secured to each of said arms, a lever fulcrumed on the main frame, a spring-actuated rock-shaft journaled in the main frame and connected to one end of the lever, aspringpressed pin pivotally secured at one of its ends to the rock-shaft and adapted at its other end to engage the lips on the leafturning arms, substantially as described.

GUSTAF JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

Grants. 0. TILLMAN, A. GUSTAFSON. 

